Rating: 
Summary: Works like a champ!
Review: I have a good digital SLR. But what I really needed was a quick easy to use camera that could fit in a pocket and go anywhere. I found the right camera in the DSC-U20. Sure, its limited, but that's part of its charm. Its small and easy to carry anywhere. Its quick to get it into action and the menu is so simple its ... proof. Add a larger memory stick and you'll have a great camera for everyday use. The picture quality is good enough for 4X6 and even will sqeak out a decent 8X10. Color seems good. The physical size is perfect. I carry it around in my front jeans pocket and forget that its there. The memory stick door is easy to use too. For the money your can't go wrong.
Rating: 
Summary: This pipsqueak rocks
Review: I have been using my new Cyber-shot U camera for several days now and I have to say that overall, this little camera is terrific.
All I want to do is to take some pictures, have the immediate gratification of being able to see them immediately, crop them and post them on a website or email them. MAYBE sometimes print them out. I have no intentions of blowing them up to 8x10". In my entire life I have never blown up a photo that big...biggest I ever got was 4x6, so I'm a little surprised why all of the companies are thumping this 8x10 thing.I played with my friend's 3.2 megapixel Sony camera and I was seriously considering buying a more full featured camera such as that, until I saw and tried this camera. Here is my list of pros and cons: ---- The good list ---- EXCELLENT SOFTWARE:
The software driver makes it *so* easy to transfer images to my computer. The camera comes with a USB cord that you simply plug into the camera, and a "Removeable Drive" appears in Explorer. There's one folder for still images, and one folder for MPEGS. This was one of the selling points for me for a Sony camera in general. QUICK INITIALIZATION:
As soon as the camera is turned on, its ready to shoot. This is an EXCELLENT feature for those of us who want to be able to capture a real-life image that may not be there for too long. Many other cameras have agonizingly-long initialization processes that can seriously impede many photographic impulses.
NON-PROPRIETARY BATTERIES:
This camera (like some other Sony models) uses a pair of Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries. I like the fact that I can go to a non-Sony company and buy extra batteries if I need to. Plus, if I am in a pinch, I can buy alkaline batteries and use them (even though alkalines are not recommended because of how quickly they are drained). MANUAL LENS COVER:
The cover to the lens is a manually-operated "door" that you slide sideways to reveal the lens. Plus it also turns the unit on when it is opened. I like this feature very much because it allows me to control how quickly I can open the unit, and therefore, how quickly the unit is ready to shoot. I DON'T have to wait for some motor to do it's thing and tell me when it's ready to shoot (like most other digital cameras). And by the way, all of the other cameras I looked at had so many delicate moving parts to their mechanized contraptions that I believed that over time I would have eventually lost a spring and would've had to send it to the manufacturer for repair. Most models have super-small moving parts, especially for the lens. Usually they have tiny little doors over the lens. They are very thin and have springs attached to them. I like the idea that I won't be carrying around something so delicate in my pocket. VERY GOOD PICTURE QUALITY:
This is a 2 megapixel camera and takes excellent photos for what I need them for (web). I have taken hundreds of shots and am extremely satisfied with the results. SIZE AND WEIGHT:
If you've seen the unit, you'll know. It's very light and very small. It fits easily in my pants pocket. You'd never know it was a camera. I don't know many other cameras that fit into pants pockets easily. GOOD DESIGN:
It's very intuitive to use and the features are easy to find. --- The not-so-good list ---- SMALL PREVIEW SCREEN:
The window is too small to let you know if the shot you took is clear. Definitely one of the weaker aspects. BRIGHT FLASH:
The flash is a bit too bright. It tends to have a "drowning out" effect for images shot close up. I contrast this to my friends Sony 3.2 megapixel camera that did not have the drowning out effect as much. I muted the flash by taping a piece of white paper over it. So far this is working great. CHARGER UNIT DOESN'T DISCHARGE THE BATTERIES:
The camera comes with a charging unit to recharge the batteries, but it doesn't discharge the batteries first. The manual recommends that you should discharge the batteries before recharging, and I suppose this has to do with what I have been reading about Nickel Metal Hydride batteries' slight "memory effect" whereby battery life can be shortened depending on when they are recharged. For me, the benefit of having a compact camera is that, before I begin my expedition, I am going to grab a fresh set of batteries, drop them into the camera, and then go. I figure the battery life will last me a day at least, so I don' t need (or want) to carry extra batteries if I don't have to. So, this means that I would have 2 options if I didn't buy a new charging unit that first discharged the batteries:
a) carry extra batteries and then switch them out when/if the first ones die, which I don't want to do.
b) start with fresh batteries and then when I get home use the camera to discharge the partially charged batteries before recharging them. Let's not forget that the camera has a auto-off feature that turns the camera off after 3 idle minutes. So discharging the batteries can be a real chore. NO ZOOM:
There is no zoom. But my non digital camera didn't have a zoom either. This doesn't bother me too much. This could arguably belong in the "good" section simply for the fact that simple is better here. BAD MPEG QUALITY:
I didn't buy the camera to capture mpegs, and this is icing on the cake. However, the mpeg quality is dismally bad. Overall, I LOVE this camera. It amazes me that Sony was able to put so much into such a small unit.
Rating:
Summary: Major fun camera
Review: I have had it for about a year. It is my constant companion. We ditched 35mm in favor of this baby. Results are not perfect, but for the size & price, it's wonderful. And don't forget that it uses AAA batteries! Having said all that, I am hoping to get a DSC P92 before our next family vacation...
Rating:
Summary: Major fun camera
Review: I have had it for about a year. It is my constant companion. We ditched 35mm in favor of this baby. Results are not perfect, but for the size & price, it's wonderful. And don't forget that it uses AAA batteries! Having said all that, I am hoping to get a DSC P92 before our next family vacation...
Rating:
Summary: Many great features, one big drawback.
Review: I just got the U10. It's a little gem that will serve as my new glove box cam. I've used it indoors and outdoors, with and without flash, and I'm very pleased with the pictures I've gotten thus far. I took an experimental movie clip (no sound) and it also looks fine. The 2 megapixel resolution (you can also select lower res for computer/Internet use) is crisp up to and including prints of 8" x 10". The camera uses 2 rechargeable AAAs (the charger is included) and the battery life is very good. The included 8 megabyte Memory Stick is too small, but I put a 128 meg (Lexar) card in there. One should get almost 200 pics at its full 2 megapixel setting. Settings and menus are simple and the instruction manual is not needed. The size and weight are of course the big pluses here. I gave it only 4 stars though because I felt the price was a bit high for the specs (obviously, the price is the premium for the size) *and* because without an eyepiece viewfinder, one is forced to frame through the tiny LCD on the camera's rear. That is a nearly impossible task in sunlight, making for a significant drawback. Nonetheless, I'm having fun with it and I'm sure you will too!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best electronic purchases I've ever made
Review: I just got this as my first digital camera. I mostly need a camera for when I go out on weekends, and this small size is perfect for my needs. This easily fits into your pocket and is perfect for group pictures with friends at events/clubs/parties/skiing/canoeing/videogameArcade/horseshoe.
I love gadgets, and this is surely one of the best purchases I've made in the electronics department(go get your Samsung s105 phone, handspring treo, t-mobile sidekick, and roomba robovac while you're at it, they'll complete the picture). Make sure you get the quick recharger starter kit, otherwise you will wait 13 hours for the batteries to recharge (as opposed to 1.5 hours). Ths picture quality is excellent. Great color saturation. And not like you need more than 2.0 megapixels unless you're some professional photographer (1600x1200 is larger than most desktop resolutions). For the ... price tag, this camera is STILL worth every penny. Just don't expect a ton of features (no zoom, no eyepiece viewfinder)... the price is all justified in the size and sony quality you've come to expect. Don't install the software that comes with it (Pixela), it's nothing worthwhile. Works flawlessly with Windows XP. GET IT BEFORE YOUR FRIENDS DO !
Rating:
Summary: Good things come in small cameras
Review: I just picked up this camera last week and it's great! I wanted a really small camera that I could take with me out on the town. This is a party cam...designed to take spontaneous and random pictures that you can e-mail to your friends. The interface on the camera is so simple...I didn't even have to open the directions. The battery life could be longer but that's what you're sacrificing with the size. I would say that this camera is the perfect companion for someone who does not want to pay a lot for a digital camera and wants decent quality out of it.
Rating:
Summary: Great practical camera for everyday use!
Review: I received this camera about a month ago & since then, take it everywhere with me. It has become an everyday item for me - along with my cell phone, keys... Its a great camera if you understand its capabilities.
Pros: nice, clear pics. small size. good flash. quick charge
for multiple pics. cool features : able to take 5
consecutive pics,black & white, sepia. coolness gets
you lots of attention! long battery life. convenience
will allow you to take pics of everything - capture the
moments (discretely). Easy to use
Cons: no zoom, cover easy to slide open when fumbling thru
purse (turns on camera). view finder difficult to see if
pics clear.
But if you understand what it can/cant do, you'll appreciate it & use it all the time!
Rating:
Summary: Great practical camera for everyday use!
Review: I received this camera about a month ago & since then, take it everywhere with me. It has become an everyday item for me - along with my cell phone, keys... Its a great camera if you understand its capabilities.
Pros: nice, clear pics. small size. good flash. quick charge
for multiple pics. cool features : able to take 5
consecutive pics,black & white, sepia. coolness gets
you lots of attention! long battery life. convenience
will allow you to take pics of everything - capture the
moments (discretely). Easy to use
Cons: no zoom, cover easy to slide open when fumbling thru
purse (turns on camera). view finder difficult to see if
pics clear.
But if you understand what it can/cant do, you'll appreciate it & use it all the time!
Rating:
Summary: Tough, small, great shots
Review: I took this to Iraq in order to have a camera I could keep with me at all times. For 6 months I lugged it around wherever I went. Despite the lack of a zoom, it took great shots, and with a large (128MB) memory stick, I was able to store many pictures and download them when I had the opportunity. Just what I was looking for!
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